First record of Akera Muller, 1776, from the eastern Pacific, with the description of a new species

The description of the new species Akera julieae is based on a complete specimen collected from southern California and three empty shells from Costa Rica. These specimens constitute the first record of Akera in the eastern Pacific. Akera julieae is distinguishable from the widespread Indo-Pacific species Akera soluta by its radular and jaw morphology; the rachidian teeth of A. soluta are more solid with larger cusps and flanking denticles, the mid-lateral teeth of A. soluta are denticulated, whereas in A. julieae they are smooth, and the Outermost lateral teeth of A. julieae are proportionally more clongate and straighter than those of A. soluta; the jaws of A. soluta are well developed and composed of a number of rows of strong rodlets, whereas in A. julieae the jaws are more rudimentary with only five crows of fragile-looking rodlets. There are no consistent differences between these two species in gizzard plate and adult shell morpholopy but the protoconch of A. soluta is slightly larger and more elongate. The western Atlantic species Akera bayeri is distinguishable from A. julieae by having a more elevated shell spire and stronger radular teeth with denticles on all lateral teeth.